Phillips on Cushing hit: ‘I thought it was unnecessary’

Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips had a couple of bones to pick when he addressed the media Thursday after practice.

1. He didn’t argue with the legality of Matt Slauson’s cut block that ended Brian Cushing’s season, but he does think the NFL needs to change its rule regarding some cases like Cushing’s when a “defenseless” player doesn’t see the block coming.

Phillips: “I probably shouldn’t say it, but I thought it was an unnecessary (hit). Whether it was legal or not . . . I think it’s just unnecessary to hit a defensive player when he can’t see you. If a guy’s coming in front and cuts me, he can see that and maybe get away from it. I think the league needs to look at something like that. He was defenseless in that case. If the guy had hit him in the head, it would have been a penalty.”

2. He can’t understand why, five weeks after the fact, J. J. Watt would be stripped of a sack in the Miami game that took him out of the NFL lead. And further, why don’t they now take away Michael Strahan’s record-setting sack of Brett Favre in 2001 which was clearly bogus?

Phillips: “I’m just wondering why they didn’t take Michael Strahan’s sack away when he broke the record. The guy sets the all-time record (22.5 in a season) and they didn’t do it then. But (Watt) gets another tackle for a loss and he probably leads the league in that, too.”

He did concede, “It wasn’t a sack. At the time I said they’re not going to give him a sack. It was a running play. He tackled the quarterback for a loss.”

“He’s thrown 10 touchdowns and only four interceptions,” Wade said. “He’s struggling by last year’s standards: 45 touchdowns and only six interceptions. And the year before, they won the Super Bowl and he was a key member of their team. Him struggling and them struggling is not like other teams struggling. The Jets were struggling last week when we went in there. These guys aren’t struggling.”

Asked about the loss of Cushing, Phillips said a team never escapes unscathed when it loses “a great player, and Cush is a great player – maybe the best inside linebacker (in the league)” – but he pointed out how “our other guys stepped up” Monday night after Cushing left in the second quarter.

“(Tim) Dobbins came in and played well. Bradie James had eight tackles. Our third-down defense, which Cushing was not on in the second half, was one-for-five (in third-down conversions allowed). Our other guys stepped up in that game, which makes me confident we’ll continue to do that.”

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See the best images from the Texans’ 23-17 win over the Jets.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Houston Texans defensive back Brice McCain (21) sacks New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter of a Monday Night Football game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Texans won the game 23-17. less

Houston Texans defensive back Brice McCain (21) sacks New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter of a Monday Night Football game against the New York Jets ... more

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans defensive backs Troy Nolan (33) and Kareem Jackson (25) celebrate Jackson's interception of a pass by New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez late in the game.

Texans defensive backs Troy Nolan (33) and Kareem Jackson (25) celebrate Jackson's interception of a pass by New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez late in the game.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans tight end Owen Daniels (81) scores on a 34-yard pass play past New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) during the first quarter.

Texans tight end Owen Daniels (81) scores on a 34-yard pass play past New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) during the first quarter.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans tight end Owen Daniels (81) is tripped up by New York Jets strong safety Yeremiah Bell (37) during the second half.

Texans tight end Owen Daniels (81) is tripped up by New York Jets strong safety Yeremiah Bell (37) during the second half.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans fans whoop it up in the parking lot while tailgating before the Texans game against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

Texans fans whoop it up in the parking lot while tailgating before the Texans game against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans defensive back Brice McCain (21) intercepts a pass during the second quarter. McCain returned the interception 86 yards to set up a field goal at the end of the half.

Texans defensive back Brice McCain (21) intercepts a pass during the second quarter. McCain returned the interception 86 yards to set up a field goal at the end of the half.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) gets off a pass as he is pressured by New York Jets tight end Konrad Reuland (87) and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (96) during the second quarter.

Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) gets off a pass as he is pressured by New York Jets tight end Konrad Reuland (87) and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (96) during the second quarter.

Photo: Houston Chronicle

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Texans linebacker Brian Cushing heads to the locker room after being injured during the second quarter.

Texans linebacker Brian Cushing heads to the locker room after being injured during the second quarter.